Time to declutter. Web sites can help.
Posted on December 26th, 2008 – 7:00 AMBy Kara McGuire
Discarded wrapping paper and packaging, little plastic toy parts and game instructions. I don’t know about you, but after the presents are open, I am usually overcome by an overwhelming desire to get rid of stuff.
Fortunately, the holidays correspond with the end of the year tax time. So it’s a good time to cull through your unwanted stuff and donate it to charity.
With the economy weakening and the green movement, there’s also been an explosion of sites geared towards swapping and selling your items.
Zwaggle.com, for example, connects parents “who are tightening their belts during in a sluggish economy, but care about the environment and want to provide the very best for their kids.”
Kijiji.com is a free online classifieds site that recently surveyed couples and found 81 percent would like to get rid of dozens of items worth more than $670 in tax breaks, but can’t convince the other person to part with the junk (sound familiar, anyone?).
One local addition to the online classifieds universe is buythechange.com. Co-founder and CEO Zak Steven describes it as a “Twin Cities based alternative to Craigslist that helps community-minded people and businesses buy and sell goods and services with friends, neighbors and others they have something in common with.” Seventy percent of membership fees go back to local non-profits to strengthen communities. Memberships cost from $0 to $100.
If you want to avoid wasting money and space on items you don’t use that frequently, try neighborrow.
I haven’t tried any of these resources. Craigslist.org and Twin Cities Free Market have served me well in the sale or giving away of items. I’d prefer to give real neighbors and friends my unwanted goods if they need them.
Curbside pick-up of donations from places such as ARC and the Epilepsy Foundation make it simple to donate my items in good condition for a tax break.
But if you do use these newer sites, share your feedback.
2 Responses to "Time to declutter. Web sites can help."
Be patient when making big/non-essential purchases. Use sites like http://www.iPromocodes.com and the item you are looking for will eventually come on sale.
I understand the Kijiji.com survey. I am hanging onto an old (1880’s) piano that doesn’t work, and my husband won’t get rid of his VW camper that has not run since 1987!
